Lawmakers hear administration plan to spend FY25 fair share surplus on education and transportation

The Joint Committee on Ways and Means heard testimony on Tuesday about House Bill 55, the Healy administration's proposal to appropriate surplus fair share surtax revenue collected in fiscal year 2025.

Committee co-chairs Representative Aaron Mikowitz, House, and Senator Mike Rodricks, Senate, opened the public hearing and said the panels would review the governor's supplemental budget that the administration filed to allocate surplus fair share funds. Representative Mikowitz described the hearing as part of a public process to consider how best to invest more than $1.3 billion in surplus fair share revenue.

Administration witnesses framed the bill as a one-time, surplus proposal meant to complement the FY26 operating budget. Matthew Gorkowitz, identified in testimony as Secretary for Administration and Finance, said the bill would spend funds collected above the consensus revenue estimate and described the administration's intent that the package and House 1 operating budget be considered together. “This…